Bacterial infection caused by opportunistic and/or pathogenic bacteria (e.g., Burkholderia cepacia, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) is a major problem in both the developed and undeveloped portions of the world. For example, certain types of individuals are prone to respiratory infection (e.g., by bacteria (e.g., opportunistic bacteria), viruses, fungi and/or parasites) including the immunocompromised, elderly, cancer chemotherapy patients, individuals suffering from asthma, individual suffering from genetically inherited disease (e.g., cystic fibrosis) and virally infected individuals (e.g., infected with influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), adenovirus and/or human immunodeficiency virus). Similarly, wounds (e.g., burn wounds) present on a subject provide an ideal location for bacterial growth and survival.
As the use of conventional pharmaceutical antibiotics has increased for medical, veterinary and agricultural purposes, there has been a concurrent emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of pathogenic bacteria.
A need exists to develop alternative strategies of antibacterial treatment. For example, there exists a need for new compositions and methods of treating or preventing bacterial infection (e.g., bacteremia) caused by strains of bacteria unsusceptible to current forms of antibacterial treatments.